News Archive - August 2011

Employee arrested for UK visa breach

A worker has been arrested for breaching the conditions of his UK visa, it has been revealed.

The man in question was found to be working at a Sittingbourne restaurant along with another employee who, it was later revealed, had entered the UK illegally. Both men were originally from Bangladesh and have been arrested by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) and detained pending their removal from the country.

Officers took the decision to conduct a raid on the Spice Fusion restaurant in Roman Square after receiving information regarding its employees. They conducted UK immigration status checks on all of the staff and discovered the two Bangladeshi men.

Karyn Dunnin, head of the UKBA local immigration team for Kent, commented: “The message is clear for employers - we will not tolerate illegal working. It is a crime that not only undercuts local business but also has a serious impact on communities, taking jobs from those who are genuinely allowed to work.”

Indeed, the restaurant now faces a potential fine of up to £20,000 if it is unable to prove that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out before taking on the staff.

Ms Dunning added: “It is the legal responsibility of all employers to check that staff have the right to work in the UK. There are simple ways of checking a foreign national's right to work and there are no excuses for failing to do so.”

The arrests follow news that seven UK immigration offenders have been discovered at a restaurant in St Ives. This group were also found to be from Bangladesh and are to be held in detention while their cases are processed through the correct routes.